


starlight, goodnight

by derseroyalty



Category: Banana Bus Squad
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-06-18 01:35:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15474603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/derseroyalty/pseuds/derseroyalty
Summary: Nighttime has fallen and whispers travel through the grapevine that something terrible has happened to one of their own.The moon is gone and the stars are going out.The Owl has been ripped from his home.





	1. midnight

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been wanting to write a god/goddess au for so long! 
> 
> my apologizes for not having all the bbs guys in this, I wanted my favorites and doing a bit of research on certain mythology for everyone would’ve taken me forever.
> 
> now with [ART!](https://acadivs.tumblr.com/post/182720955654/incorrectyvanquotes-hi) my sweet boys. a wonderful thank you to acadivs for giving me gorgeous fanart of Evan and Tyler.

It’s twilight when Brock steps out to take a walk. He emerges from his home in the country with a telescope under his arm and a picnic basket curled around his shoulder, humming a tune as he heads to the hill that looms behind his house.

Brock loves to watch the stars. He loves the sunset, the sunrise, and everything in-between. The sky calms him down the most; the multiple colors that are present, the white fluffy clouds, and even the thunderstorms that tend to flood the area.

He’s just a weather person, really.

The first stars are making their appearance as Brock sets the telescope down on the ground. He throws a blanket out and settles the picnic basket down, crouching over the telescope to fix the settings. 

Tonight would be a lunar eclipse! The first one in a long time and Brock was not about to miss it. He finally gets the adjustments down and settles back on the blanket, relaxing easily as the sky darkens. 

The stars gleam above him and the moon starts to turn into pale red, slowly darkening into crimson as he tunes into a nearby constellation. Andromeda pulses above him, and Brock blinks as Alpha Andromedae (its brightest star) flares and then goes dark.

_What?_

One by one, the surrounding stars flicker and go out. Constellations vanish and the lunar moon burns even redder. Darkness spreads over the sky and Brock stares in shock and fear, backing up from his telescope. 

Brock hears the flap of wings above him, frantic but insistent, and he backs up as a figure crash lands onto the hill, sending dirt flying everywhere.

“What the heck?” Brock breathes, eyes wide as he blinks at the person struggling to get up. His mom instincts kick in after a single moment, and he hurries forward to the crater that formed to help them.

The person in the hole doesn’t even look human. The figure is pitch black with stars glittering in the void of its body; a crown made of galaxy flitters above their head, with orbiting planets and starlight glittering off. Giant wings brush the ground, the feathers seeming to span the entire crater. 

Brock slowly approaches them. “Hello?” 

The figure snaps up and the human gasps at the sight of brilliant yellow eyes, burning right into his soul. “Oh my god. What…what are you?”

The person shudders and transforms into something humanoid. The darkness melts off the figure and slowly molds itself into something familiar.

A man stands up, shaky but determined, and Brock takes in the sight of him. He has inky black hair, glowing yellow eyes, and he’s wearing formal attire with his wings dragging on the dirt, crown still settled in his hair. The feathers shimmer like a galaxy and Brock is entranced by the person that stands before him. 

**“…”** The man tries to say something in an unfamiliar language before wincing and swapping between different languages, clearing his throat and landing on English. “Hello there. I, uh, am Erebus.” 

Silence falls. Brock tries to form words, but just has his jaw slack as the man looks down at his clothes. “Shit,” the man swears. “That’s probably not a name anyone remembers. Eternal Night? Nyx?”

“The…The God of Night,” Brock says slowly, and honestly he kind of believes it. The aura on this dude is so strange and although he looks human, there's something immortal and infinite in his eyes. 

The man looks genuinely relieved as Brock answers his question. “Yeah! I seem to have fallen from the heavens, and I would love some help to return to my domain. What century is it? Fourteenth? Seventeeth?”

“It’s actually the twenty-first century,” Brock replies, and the man’s tan face turns pale white. “The what?! Has it truly been that long since I've been down here? The realm of Space has never truly been in sync with Time, and...gosh...”

Brock heavily sighs and sits down on the ground, gesturing for the God to sit down next to him. “Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Brock, I’m fully human, and I was out here watching a lunar eclipse. You appeared out of nowhere and it seems as if you are from mythological times? Greek, Roman, Egyptian, I’m not sure but different titles mean something.” 

“Oh,” Erebus blinks. “Well…there are many gods and goddesses, as human cultural has figured out, and different titles have been distributed throughout Time. It depends on the domain we roam in. I inherited the moon, stars, and night sky, and Hyperion got—“

At that, Erebus’s head jerks up to the sky and he gasps. “Oh no. OH NO. Hyperion is going to lose his shit when he realizes I fell!! I was supposed to remember the consequences of what happens during this time and he won’t know where I am! Brock Human, we have to get back to him!”

“Slow down,” Brock says with practiced ease. “Let’s figure out what we know. Have a snack, okay? The sun won’t rise for another few hours. You look like you need rest.”

Frantic but taking deep breathes, Erebus sits down and lets his wings spread out on the dirt. “Okay,” he whispers numbly. “I…I was just doing my nightly duties and checking on the stars while flying around. The lunar eclipse hit my wings and I crumbled in its moonlight. I always forget I’m able to stay up when it’s a solar one, not lunar.”

For a brief moment, Erebus looks fucking pissed. "Isn't that bullshit? Solar eclipses do NOTHING except let me see Helios, but lunar eclipses rip me out of the heavens since it's not the Sun, it's just the fucking Earth casting its goddamn shadow on my realm." 

“Is there any way to get you back?” Brock asks, and for a quick moment he ponders his life. Not a lot of friends due to his shy nature, and now here he was; taking care of the God of Night and he wasn’t being killed immediately. That had to count for something, right?

“I think so, but it’s been millennia since I fell and I don’t remember what to do!” Erebus wails. “Shit, Brock, I’m scared. Auras tend to dull when Apollo and I come to this realm and I can’t think of anyone that can help us.” 

As the Night God shakes, globs of void drip off his wings and pool around him. Brock backs up just in case as the puddles bubble with stars. “If you rule over the nightly domain, aren’t there other Gods who deal with others? Water, or maybe the Underworld?”

At that, Erebus’s head snaps up and the human yelps at the golden yellow gaze. “We’re not going to Persephone. She will have my feathers ripped out for making a careless mistake, and I don’t want to deal with her for another few centuries.” 

“Maybe we can try in the morning,” Brock attempts, and Earth’s domain seems to be taking its toll on Erebus. Different domains had different effects, and now Earth made immortals seem a bit more human. The God yawns loudly and nods, slumping a bit as Brock goes over to support him. 

Erebus is deathly cold and he feels like liquid starlight. The two head down the hill and make their way to Brock’s house, where Brock unlocks his door and offers the Night God his bed. Erebus quietly nods his thanks and immediately passes out, starting to snore after a moment. 

Brock just looks down at the sleeping God and weighs his options. There are many things he could possibly do since this immortal being was at his mercy.

A few seconds go by, and then Brock shrugs and heads to his computer to do some research, grabbing some soda from the fridge to keep him awake.

* * *

When Brock wakes up with notes scattered around his desk and a cloak draped over his shoulders, he jolts up and gasps at the bright stars dancing in the cloak, which seem to shift in constant constellations. “Erebus?” He croaks, sticky notes pressed against his cheek.

“I’ve actually got a better name for you to use,” the Night God replies from the couch. He seems extremely calm but there's an edge of tension that shudders through him. Outside, it’s still slightly dark, but there’s a small sliver of pink on the horizon. “I was looking through the computer for names after you passed out and I think I’ll go with Evan. ‘Erebus’ is kinda weird to use in public, it’s not very common.”

“That’s fair.” Brock comments, gently shrugging off the cloak and holding it out to Evan. “Thank you for loaning this to me, by the way. I appreciate it.”

Evan glances at the offered cloak and smiles, gently shaking his head. “Nah, keep it. Think of it as a token from the Night. It’ll keep you safe and perhaps invisible if used in the right situation.”

Brock stares in awe and Evan clears his throat, glancing back at the scribbled list on Brock's desk. “I looked through your notes, and I went through a mental list of the domains that we could possibly go to. No Underworld unless we ABSOLUTELY have to. As for the others…”

Evan’s face grimaces. “Forest wise, one of them will find us. If it’s who I think it is, it will not be the King of the Seelie Court. It’ll be his…jester. And I will not hesitate to fucking destroy him if he gets near my love.”

The Night God stands and makes his way outside, squinting at the rising sun. Pink fades into orange as Brock stands next to him. “What’s going to happen?” He asks quietly.

Evan huffs and his eyes fade from yellow to black and back again. “It’s gonna be terrible, that’s all I know.”

The moment the sun truly rises, a shock seems to ripple through the air. The sunlight seems warm and kind but suddenly flares to life, causing Brock to gasp and Evan to stiffen as heat blazes over the Earth in waves. “He knows.”

With no warning, dark clouds brew on the horizon. Lightning crackles with rage onto the Earth, and the sun still somehow glows behind the clouds. Evan exhales slowly. “I can feel the heat wave that’s trying to burn. If this was olden times, it would roast a lot of land and humans before he stopped. I think he’s aware of it now so he’s just causing a heat wave. The temperatures aren't going to go down for a while.”

“And if he doesn’t let up?”

Evan puffs out a stream of stars that twinkle before vanishing. “The Earth roasts or falls into an eternal winter if I'm gone too long. I’m scared to figure out which one he’ll do.”

Brock remembers a domain he did research on along with their deities, and he grasps Evan’s hand, ignoring the jolt of coldness that runs through his veins. “What about the Ocean?”

“The Ocean?” Evan repeats. He shuts his eyes and flashes of a man with deep blue eyes appears in his mind, grin unnaturally bright. “I think he can help. But you need to pack since you’re human and I don’t want you getting hurt or starving along the way.”

Brock nods and hurries back inside to pack and Evan turns to gaze at the burning sun. Above him, a cloud turns black and begins to rain; it pelts onto his suit for a moment before he allows himself to turn void, letting the rain vanish the moment it hits his form. He finally allows his wings to expand and lets them stretch out, sighing in relief. 

Evan’s wingspan is extremely long and twice the length of his body. He glances at the galaxies glowing in his feathers before he looks beyond Brock’s house and into the forest behind it. 

He knows that presence. It is far too familiar, and Evan’s golden eyes narrow before he calls out to the tree line, “I know you’re there. You’re hiding in the shadows, boy, and I inhabit every single piece of the night that makes its home down here.”

A figure emerges. His hair ruffles upwards and his eyes gleam reddish brown; he seems to smirk before gesturing to the Night God, laughing and pointing fingers. “The Owl makes his return to this realm! Eternal Night no longer resides in the sky, he stays on a mortal plane!”

“Watch yourself, Trickster.” Evan snarls. Something cold and hard burns in his yellow gaze and he takes a menacing step forward. “The King of the Seelie Court would not be happy to see you here.” 

“Oberon does not care,” the man says dismissively. There's a faint aura around the man that Evan can easily disarm, since the fae's charm doesn't work on higher deities. “I have free roam all over the world, Erebus. Perhaps I can join you on this quest?”

“Fuck off.”

The man draws back with mirth in his eyes. “You’ll need my help eventually, Owl.”

“I don’t need anything from you, Goodfellow.” Evan spits. “Head back to the Courts where you belong and stay away from me and my mortal.”

Goodfellow waggles his eyebrows. “Mortals are very easily attracted to my charm, Nyx. That mortal of yours seems very influential. I bet he can be easily swayed by a Seelie, and I have never lost a challenge.” 

Something glitters in Evan’s expression before his eyes darken to pure Night. The rage that builds in Evan’s hands concentrates into a star, blinding but beautiful. **“Do not EVER threaten me again,”** Erebus snarls. **“The Nightly Realm is to NOT be reckoned with, and my love does not take kindly to mere fae.”**

At the mention of the Solar King, Goodfellow’s expression flickers and he finally takes a step back into the safety of the trees. “I will find a way to get into his pretty heart,” the Seelie Fae replies. “It will only be a matter of time.”

He vanishes into the trees and Evan sags, eyes closing shut before opening again to neon yellow. He turns to the doorway and watches as Brock comes hustling out. “Sorry about that!” The human apologizes with a duffle bag around his shoulder and an umbrella in his hand. “I could not find my floss for the life of me. Ready to go?”

Evan looks down at this mortal and thinks about how kind he was and how easily he opened his home. Most people would’ve panicked and called the police, or possibly attacked him. 

But Brock took care of him, an immortal deity that dealt with the void and the stars and the moon and made sure he was alright, and now they were about to embark on a quest to get Evan home to the stars. 

This was a very special mortal and Evan was going to do his absolute best to keep him safe no matter the circumstances, tricksters and gods be damned. 

“Yeah,” Evan manages. “Let’s go.”


	2. ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone! this chapter is posted from my dorm room, and this is the end of my first week here in college! I love it so so much and it's honestly surreal. 
> 
> you guys have seen me yell about senior year, to getting into college, and now I'm here!! thank you thank you thank you. your endless support and love have continued to help me write and find a way to vent out everything I've got. 
> 
> <3

Thankfully, the wind ruffles Brock’s hair and keeps him cool as Evan makes his way towards the forest. “We have to hurry,” the Night God says urgently. “Forest spirits are tricky to get rid of. They tend to follow and remember to _never accept anything from them.”_

“Really?” Brock’s eyes widen. “That’s a fae thing right?”

“Shh!” Evan quickly shushes him. “The more you speak of them, they’re more likely to show up since their names are very important to them. Just follow me and make sure you’re in the shadow of my wings.”

The two hurry through the trees and Evan’s starry feathers create moving shadows on the grass. They whisper and curl, wisps of void drifting upwards. Brock makes sure he’s covered and protected as he follows in Evan’s footsteps. 

Standing invisible in the leaves of a nearby tree, Goodfellow watches with a grin. In his hand he’s holding a simple ring that gleams red and magenta. He stealthily makes his way to the duo and uses his powers to alter a tree root that’s lying on the ground.

With a shudder of Earth magic, the root groans and moves right as Evan passes it. It trips Brock, who yelps and falls forward. The ring gets pressed into his hand and Brock’s fingers automatically curls around it. 

The token given and willingly (albeit with a cheat) accepted, Goodfellow laughs right as Evan stops in a large shadow of an oak tree. “Here!” He yells. “Hold your breath!”

The darkness wraps around Brock and the mortal takes a sharp breath, eyes fluttering shut as he practically dissolves into inky void. Someone’s laughter rings in his ears and there’s a sharp gasp as Evan lets out a loud owlish screech, neon yellow eyes being the last thing that burns into Brock’s eyelids.

* * *

**“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”**

Erebus’s roar brings Brock back from unconsciousness. The human groans and sits up, rubbing his eyes as he feels sand shift under his palm. His duffle bag sits idly on the sand and he looks up, squinting he feels the cloak shield him from the outside world. 

**“WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE!”** Nyx snarls again. 

There’s a figure with elfish figures standing near Evan with his hands up, smirking as he dances out of the way of a vicious swipe. “Why, the mortal merely accepted my gift!” He coos, laughing as Evan roars again.

There’s something so terrifying and infinite in Evan’s anger that Brock knows he would probably be permanently shocked in fear, but the cloak does genuinely protect him from the outbursts. “Wha?” He mumbles, dizzy as he struggles to stand up. 

When his vision finally adjusts, he lets the cloak dangle off his shoulders as he shoves his way in front of the two gods. “Stop!” He croaks, shaky and exhausted. “Just stop!”

Evan’s feathers are fluffed out and enraged while the Trickster merely smiles at him. “So you’re the one who accepted my engagement ring,” he smirks. “You are indeed a beautiful mortal! What’s your name?”

“Don’t,” Evan growls. Brock clamps his mouth shut and stands behind Evan, hesitating as the Trickster rolls his eyes. “He’s already accepted my ring!” He yells across the sea breeze. “The courting’s already begun!”

Evan rips off his starry crown and brandishes it as a weapon, eyes narrowed. “Mortal, I’d like you to meet Robin Goodfellow. He commonly goes by Puck as well.”

“I’ve got a True name as well, but no one knows it and no one ever will.” Puck laughs as he twirls around. “The word is you’re bringing the Owl home to the sky! Good luck, mortal! The Solar King will rip you to shreds if he finds you.”

At the mention of him, Evan stiffens a bit and Brock puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay,” Brock whispers into his ear. “We’re at the sea, alright? Let’s find the Ocean. Can you find him?”

“No need to!” A cracked voice replies. “I knew you were here the second you landed on my beach.” 

Brock starts and jerks up to the figure sitting on a nearby wave, idly examining his fingernails. The other two immortals whirl around in surprise and take several steps back as the deity of the Ocean makes his presence known.

He has eyes that seem so blue, they’re part of the waves themselves. The man’s brown hair is permanently ruffled back due to the sea breeze. A machete lies discarded on the shore; after a moment or two, it flickers back and forth to a trident. 

“Ocean King,” Evan mutters. He bends into an awkward bow and the Ocean laughs, giggles cracking and frothing like the sea. “Nah dude, you don’t have to do all that curtesy shit.”

Puck looks actually scared for a moment before he regains his composure. “It is an honor to meet you,” he says smoothly. “I apologize to be intruding, but this is a quest I have joined and Nyx and I were merely having a discussion—“

At that, Ocean’s expression darkens into a steely gray. The waves roar behind him and he steps onto the water, marching towards the Seelie with the trident in hand. “Don’t you fuckin’ DARE try to lie to me,” he snarls. “Night means a whole lot to me, you asshole. He makes sure the moonlight reaches the tides and lets me do my whole thing. If you try to even harm him, I’m joining the hunt to destroy you.”

Evan blinks in surprise and Puck gaps, briefly stepping back as the Sea regards Brock with a thoughtful expression. “It seems as if he’s imprinted on you,” the Ocean says wryly. “That’s pretty fuckin’ cool. I don’t think Moon and Sun have ever imprinted on anyone.”

Erebus shrugs. “Too tiresome, but he’s worth it.” 

“I’d ask your name, but we’re in the presence of fae.” Ocean cackles, throwing his head back to laugh. Brock hesitates before stepping forward. “I don’t mind telling you my name if you agree to help us,” he says, and for once the Sea looks thoughtful. 

“A name for a name?” The King of the Water asks, and Brock nods. “Gladly.”

The mortal makes his way to the Ocean and bows once before stepping up to whisper into his ear. The immortal smells of saltwater; he graciously tilts his head so the human has better access. 

“My name is Brock,” he whispers, and the Sea’s eyes glow with mirth. 

“I go by many titles,” the water murmurs in Brock’s own mind, “Nereus, Ocean, Sea, Poseidon, but I’ve always enjoyed Delirious.”

A pact made and willingly done, the two part and Delirious grins radiantly at Evan and Brock. “I’m assuming you need to get home?”

Something relaxes momentarily in Evan's body and Brock says his thanks, eyes glowing in relief. "I won't forget this, Ocean King. Thank you so much for this."

"Hold the fuck up," Puck says, surprised but wary. "Why would the Lord of the Seas himself help you? You're nothing but a mere mortal, someone so insignificant that you will be dead in about fifty years!"

"Because I try to do good things," Brock says softly. "My lifespan might be limited but if it means I get to help someone, then so be it. I don't need to be immortal to help."

The three stare at him, and Evan's yellow eyes glow with respect and admiration. "And that's why I've imprinted on you."

There's silence for a moment and then Delirious clears his throat. Behind him, the waves recede behind him and lead a trail into deep water. "I personally don't know how to get you home, Erebus, but there are rumors of a giant fucking tree that can do anything. It's supposedly heavily guarded though, but I have no fucking idea where it's at."

Evan exhales slowly and does his best to ignore Puck, who's slowly creeping behind him. "I don't know of this tree, but is there someone we could ask?"

In the sky, the sun burns angrily and with fury. Evan looks up at it and Brock realizes that there's sorrow etched onto his face. Despite his (somewhat) calm demeanor, Evan's heartbroken, and the further he stayed away from his love, the consequences would get worse.

Even with the threat of the Earth roasting, Evan just wants to go home.

Delirious just merely raises an eyebrow, and Evan blanches. "No. We can't. She will fucking kill us."

"We don't really have a choice dude!" Ocean throws his hands into the air. "She's the only one who can really help us!"

"And we're heading into the water?" Puck asks incredulously, eyes wide as he stares out over the endless sea. "If we're headed to see _her,_ then it's easier to head through the forest."

"We're not going through the Seelie Court," Evan spits, feathers bristling. "I'm not going to deal with Oberon." 

"Titania might let us through," Delirious points out as he rolls the machete between his palms. "She's mellowed out over the centuries."

In the background, Brock just looks bemused. "I have no clue what's going on."

A winged shadow covers Brock for a moment. "If anyone knows where this tree is," Evan says in a low voice, "it's Persephone. Or Isis. Or whatever she's going by lately. The Queen of the Underworld will know where it is but she doesn't do things without a price."

Brock winces and Evan sighs heavily. "We might have to go through the forest anyways. Puck has staked a claim on you and I'm thinking about bargaining something to Oberon or Titania to let you go."

"What does the claim do?" 

A hateful glare is thrown at the Seelie fae and the growl that rumbles from Evan's chest causes some stars to spark and burn out in his wings. "It's basically saying you belong to him. He's 'courting' you, but the fae just keep their mortals around until they get bored and break your heart due to their charm."

Brock just looks down at the ring into his hand and sighs. It catches the sunlight and glints; there's an unspoken story in this ring. Puck didn't give a simple band to him. Whether or not it was a part of his plan, it clearly meant something to the fae.

"It's okay Evan," the mortal murmurs. "Let's go see Oberon. I know you'll keep me safe and I know you guys can hold your own."

The relief in Evan's eyes is obvious. "You must be incredibly careful," he whispers. "The Ocean will keep you safe as will I, but the fae are devious. You can't trust anything Puck says when we enter the forest realm." 

"What if I twist some stuff around he says?" Brock asks, and Evan barks out a startled laugh. "I'd pay to see that happen. Best of luck with that." 

"Is it settled?" Puck asks, eyes bright as he claps his hands together. "To the Courts?"

Evan just snarls at him and stalks off, pausing to grab Brock's duffle bag from the sand before heading to the forest. Delirious shrugs and lets his machete shift to the trident. "I've never had the chance to see him in person," he comments idly, and Brock looks surprised.

"He's mentioned he's fallen before," Brock recalls. They head off to follow Evan’s shadow and Delirious glances up at the sky. "If the Solar King doesn't stop, then my seas are going to roast." He mutters.

Brock swallows. No one had really brought up the Sun, and he was desperate for answers. "What do you know about Apollo?"

Delirious glances at him as the world darkens and they all get shadow traveled back to the woods. Treetops block out most of the sunlight and Evan shakes the other three out of his shadow. "Quick to anger, gets pissed off a lot. Nyx or whatever you call him right now really balances him out. From what I've heard, they're a perfect match."

In front of them, Evan shudders and a few feathers float down from his enormous wings. They bubble as they land on the ground and sink into the dirt. Behind him, Puck's eyes go huge and he tries to catch one, hissing as the void burns at his fingertips. 

There's a lot of questions that are plaguing Brock about the fae, so he quietly excuses himself to Delirious and heads on over. "Puck?" He asks, and tries not to smile as the forest spirit whirls around in surprise. "How are you?"

"How am I?" Puck asks incredulously. "Aren't you banned from talking to me, even though I'm courting you?"

"But are you really courting me?" Brock counters. "You're after Evan, not me. And not even in a romantic sense; you just want to join us on this adventure. Why is that? What do you gain from this?"

Puck glares angrily at him, and for a moment, Brock looks past the façade of 'cunning' and 'clever' and just sees a bitter fae with nowhere else to go. "Don't try to switch this on me, mortal. Haven't you ever read about my adventures? I'm Robin Goodfellow, I've traveled to the Unseelie Court and back again and journeyed to many realms!"

And that was it, really.

There's something so sad and so empty about Robin Goodfellow that it takes Brock mere seconds to figure it out. The way he held himself, the way he followed and taunted and teased and even started to 'court' Brock after only seeing him for a few moments. 

Robin Goodfellow was terribly lonely.

And he was bitter and upset and stripped of his former glory, since the stories about him had died out so long ago. He just wanted to be included in this whole adventure. 

Puck must see something in Brock's expression because he balks, stepping back and trying to fix his sharp words and body language. "We're here," the Seelie fae says, doing his best to keep his voice light-hearted and even. "Keep close and remember that Oberon and Titania rule these parts; not you, Ocean King, and definitely not you, God of Night. Do well to remember that."

In front of the impromptu group, a veil shimmers and draws Brock closer. Evan reaches out to hold Brock's arm; careful but firm. "Keep your wits about you," Nyx murmurs. "I have absolute trust in you but be on your guard." 

Brock nods, catching Puck's eye as the fae stiffens and turns to walk through the veil with an emotion no one could describe. One-by-one, they all enter; Delirious waltzes in, Evan with more hesitance. 

For a moment, Brock pauses, and he takes a deep breath. He looks down at the ring in his palm and comes to a decision that only lasts several moments. 

The ring slides down perfectly on his left ring finger and he walks through the portal to the land of the Courts so he can speak to the King and Queen of the Fairies. 

Above Brock, the Sun burns angrily, and if anyone had bothered to listen, they would've heard a faint cry in the sunlight, full of rage and tears and an endless chant of _"MY LOVE! Where are you, PLEASE! Come home! Come back to me! Nyx! Erebus! Please!"_

The cries of the Solar King die on unheard ears, and the Night God tries to hide the void that drips from his lips and whispers his demise if he doesn't return to the stars soon.

Despite this, Evan smiles, and does his best to watch over Brock as the Courts loom in the distance. 

He hopes he'll make it home in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first day of class in several hours
> 
> college is v fun


	3. forest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think the amount of junk food I eat here is balanced by how much fucking walking I have to do (which, in long run, is a very good thing but I'm very lazy)
> 
> I live on the second biggest campus in the US and holy fuck it's crazy walking everywhere
> 
> also I get to shower at like, 3 am and get snacks at 4 am and no one can tell me what to do and it's super cool

Behind the group, the veil shimmers and settles back to its original position. Brock breathes in and coughs a bit on the scent of flowers and sunshine. He wasn’t even aware that sunlight had a scent until now.

Evan turns his head and spits a glob of void out onto the grass, wings shuffling and folding at his back. The stars that used to glitter brightly now dim in comparison, and he tries not to think about how he’s dying oh-so-slowly. 

This area of the forest was sheltered from the outside world. It’s dense with magic, thick and choking and the only person who can withstand it is Puck, who just moves on like it’s truly nothing to him. 

“Oberon knew we were here the moment we stepped in,” he says, and he turns to address the group. “This is _my_ area, so stay out of the way. Night and Ocean have no jurisdiction here in these—“

Goodfellow’s words get strangled as he spots the ring on Brock’s finger. The mortal waves with a smile and Puck just turns back around, eyes wide and he hurries off to leave the group scrambling at his heels. 

There’s whispers in the trees and shimmers of wings in the distance. As Puck approaches his home, his back glows and maroon wings emerge as if they’d been hidden. 

For the fae, it’s like discarding a shimmering cloak from their bodies. The glamour peels off and Puck sighs in relief as his fairy wings flutter in the warm sunshine. 

Perhaps the mortal didn’t know the implications of wearing his ring, but…

Puck wouldn’t deny that it looked good on him. The ring sparkled with Goodfellow’s magic and a bit of his soul. Was it a good idea to try and court the imprinted mortal of the Night God? Probably not, but Puck was always impulsive and it was a small reason of why he was the center of attention in the Courts. 

He was _funny_ and _a joke to most of them_ and no one really cared about anything else. Robin Goodfellow would always be known as Puck and his True name would be lost to time. 

“Are you alright?”

The mortal’s voice snaps him out of his thoughts. Puck turns slightly and tries to avoid eye contact. His charm is spiked due to change of environment and he’s genuinely not in the mood for trying to seduce the human. 

"Sure," he says curtly, and the mortal’s eyes glow with comprehension. “Look, Puck, I know you’re in a predicament, but it’s okay! You’re on this quest with us and you’ll be able to boast later on that you helped the Night God get home.”

What the fuck.

How in the actual hell did he guess it? Puck stares at him in surprise, briefly admiring the warm colors of his tank top. It reminded him of the Seelie Court and home. “…”

“I also have a question for you.” Brock says, trying to keep pace with the fae as they near the Courts. “Why did you try to court me? I’m…I’m usually not asked out by humans and I’m just confused as to why you did. It might’ve been a ploy to get closer to Evan but I think you could’ve just followed us in a different way.”

Oh. Well. Goodfellow squints at the ring on the mortal’s finger and feels his heart beat in unison with the jewelry. He couldn’t deny that it was originally an attempt at manipulation, but this mortal was weird as shit. He talked to the Ocean King and got him on their side in a matter of _minutes._

No ordinary mortal could’ve done that, so why was this one different? 

Puck just sighs and shrugs. “I would try to lie to you, but at this point I’m giving up. Yeah, I attempted to manipulate, but the Owl would absolutely kick my fucking ass and I’m not in the mood to be hated by even more gods. You’re also pretty interesting and…well…you look attractive in my eyes and I’m a fucking fae. That’s a high compliment.”

Brock’s cheeks flush a deep red and something warm spreads through Puck’s chest. 

“There’s some fae approaching,” Evan mutters, wings trying to instinctively flare out. “Everyone stay behind me. If they try to pull some shit, I can shadow travel the group away. Puck, do whatever the fuck you need to do.” 

Robin nods and steps forward, wings fluttering as a way of greeting. “I’ve brought them to see Oberon,” he says, and the fae whisper and giggle at their group.

“Mortal!”

“Human!”

“Gods…”

There’s a flurry of movement and Puck draws Delirious, Evan, and Brock into his glamour. “Back off,” he snarls. “They’re my group, my quest! This one is mine!” 

Behind the fae, there’s gasps and fairies get out of the way as fast as they can. Magic burns in the air again and the trees seem to bend as a figure strides towards them. 

Delirious looks relaxed while Evan tenses. Even Puck goes stiff, jaw set and eyes narrowed as a girl in gossamer clothing practically floats in their direction. Her eyes are a deep shade of brown with golden flecks; her hair is chestnut and fades down into a lovely blonde color, which is braided over her shoulder. A golden circlet is buried in her hair and glints in the sunlight. 

“What the fuck is this?” She snaps, glaring at Puck. “What have you done, Goodfellow?” 

“Titania,” Puck says, and Brock jolts at the name. “May I present to you, the Ocean King, a mortal, and—“

Titania rears back in horror and rage. “The God of Night?!” She snarls, her hair whipping around her. “HAVE YOU RIPPED HIM FROM THE SKY?!”

“No!” Puck protests, backing up as Titania reaches forward and digs her nails into his ear. “That’s not the fucking story! Hold on!”

“You’ve gone too far,” Titania glares as she marches through the forest. Behind her, Evan and Delirious sigh and follow her. Brock, genuinely scared, stays in Evan’s shadow as protection. 

Around his shoulders, the Night cloak still glows and provides him with a sense of protection. He clings onto it as best he can and stumbles once they reach the Seelie Court. 

It’s…

Well. There’s a lot of warmth and yellow. Brock’s mortal eyes haven’t really adjusted yet so he just shields his vision as best he can and steps into the Court, feeling the magic warp around him. 

Around Evan, the magic shudders and ripples around the Night God. As quietly as he can, he wraps glamour around his form and restores his former appearance. The fae would notice the circles that were forming under his eyes and the dim stars in his feathers, so he brightens up his crown as best he can. 

The moment he walked into the Courts, he stopped feeling his love’s words in the sunshine. They weren’t evident before, but as he weakened, they were louder and more frantic. Apollo must’ve felt Evan’s life force waning. 

It wouldn’t be long before the Solar King would descend onto Earth and all hell would break loose. They had to get to Persephone and _quick._

Titania drags Puck to the center of an outdoors throne room. She releases him with a glare and shoves him to the foot of a very large throne. For a moment, Brock has to blink several times and wipe the tears out of his eyes so his eyes can adjust to the figure sitting on the rose and thorns that’re molded into a chair. 

The man has hair that constantly changes colors; from blue, to pink, and to lilac and back again. His hazel eyes swim with an emotion that Brock can’t describe, and a crown that’s twisted with thorns and roses sits prettily on his head. 

"Puck," the man’s voice booms. “What the fuck have you done?”

“Oberon,” Puck’s voice shakes. He dips into an awkward bow, and Evan looks disgruntled at the whole exchange. Delirious just idly examines his fingernails and sighs. “I—I’ve brought guests.”

"Without my permission." 

In Evan's hands, a void materializes, and he does his best not to let the fae see what’s building up in him. “Shit,” he hisses, and Delirious glances over at him. The Ocean King’s blue eyes widen and he splashes some water on his starry feathers. 

It somehow works and calms Evan down. The black hole disappears and he breathes out a sigh of relief. 

“You’re like the Sea,” Delirious whispers at him. “You’re building up like a dam and then your life force is going to drain right out of you.” 

"I know that," Evan snaps. "I just want to go home.”

As Oberon and Titania argue with Puck and Brock tries to commit the Seelie Court to memory, Delirious takes the time and opportunity to talk to the God. He did genuinely care for the guy, since he kept everyone safe and provided the moonlight to make his water shine. 

“Did it actually hurt?” Delirious asks, gaze shifting to the fairies that’re hovering nearby. He doesn’t want them to overhear their conversation so he uses the sound of rushing water to cycle around them. 

"Falling?" Evan asks bitterly, trying to ignore the pang in his chest. "What, are you asking if being thrown down like a shooting star hurt? Did it hurt plummeting from the heavens and onto Earth? Did the stars burn and the lunar eclipse singe my feathers and the void in my heart almost consume me as I fell? I don’t know, Ocean King, maybe it did.”

Delirious is silent for a solid minute. “Y’know, you can call me Delirious if you want. We’re friends now. We’ve got a pretty solid pact because of Brock.” 

At the mention of his beloved mortal, Evan’s wings sag behind him. “He immediately helped me when I was a formless pile of void in a crater I had created when I fell. He just…stuck by my side and packed to go on a journey to get me home. Who does that? And he’s a fucking mortal?”

“You imprinted instantly, didn’t you.” Delirious tries not to laugh. “How does that work? Does he have, I don’t know, powers or something? Immunity?”

“He’s safe from a lot of shit that would normally be out to get him in our mythological realms.” Evan replies. “He’s under the protection of the Night. The shadows will never harm him for the rest of his entire life. Even the fae are keeping their distance; they latch onto other mortals and try to drag them away. They’re staying away because of the imprint.”

“I wonder if I could imprint too?” Delirious wonders. “I’m not very easy to find. Mortals just acknowledge me sometimes; I was debating on either heading further away in the water or just drowning the beach. It was only because I recognized your presence that I didn’t flood the area. You have a very ancient aura, Evan. It’s pretty cool to feel.” 

Ev just nods and sighs, trying to calm down the supernovas that are attempting to burn in his soul. “I’m just worried for Brock. With Puck starting the courting process…”

Delirious shrugs. “Honestly, I think Brock’s gonna be his friend first before he even thinks about the courting. Did you see the look on Puck’s face when he was talking to Brock before we saw Titania? I never knew a fae could be charmed by a mortal, but it’s fucking happening.” 

Nyx scowls but turns back when he spots Puck getting shoved behind the thrones. Oberon beckons them over with an amusing smile on his face. “Eternal Night has fallen to Earth and now needs the fae’s help in getting home. What a lovely sentiment.”

“We just need the way into Persephone’s realm,” Evan grumbles. “C’mon Oberon, just let us through.”

Oberon’s eyes glitter. “You know how this works, Erebus.”

“Fuck you—“

“CRAIG.”

All the fae in the area cringe automatically. Titania steps forth and uses merely her aura to force everyone to stand down. Even Craig cringes back a bit at the mention of his True name. 

“Suni?” Oberon whispers, eyes wide as he tries to gesture _WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!_ “We need to deal with these Gods, they’re trespassing on our territory!”

Suni sighs and dismisses all the fae in the area. Her bubblegum pink wings flutter out and catch the sunshine, sending a soft fuchsia glow on the grass. Obviously the fae are more terrified of Titania, which makes perfect sense to everyone in the Court. 

"I am not one for a fair trial,” Suni says with narrowed eyes, “but we have the Owl, Nereus, and a mere mortal standing in our realm. That must account for something, Craig. We can at least hear out their demands before we send them stumbling back into the Earth realm.” 

“I hate when you’re right,” Craig mutters. “Fine. Whatever. Stand here for trial—do we actually have any trials? We just either drive people insane or send them to the Unseelie Court. I’m not sure which is worse, really.”

Titania sits back down on her throne and Oberon grumbles to himself. “First off, what the fuck is Puck doing with you?”

The group looks at Goodfellow, who’s dead silent near Suni’s throne. He’s curled in on himself and refuses to look at anyone. Delirious just gestures to the other two and Evan and Brock look at each other. 

“We need his help,” Brock whispers. “I want him to have an adventure with us.”

“Don’t forget that he tried courting you to get to me!” Evan hisses. “He’s a fae! They can’t be trusted, and Goodfellow is the worst of them!”

Puck lifts his head for a single moment and Brock’s breath catches at the sorrow in his eyes. There it is; hook, line, and sinker. It was a genuine expression and damn it if Brock realized it immediately. 

"Your Majesties,” Brock begins, and Craig blinks before bursting into laughter. “A mere mortal talking to the King and Queen of the Fairies? Nyx must’ve truly fallen on hard times.” 

Evan’s jaw clenches but he trusts Brock with his life. (Well, he has to anyways. Hyperion’s temper had rubbed off a tiny bit and he was a little bit more impatient than he was before, which certainly wouldn’t have helped their situation.)

“If I may continue,” Brock says, and there’s a slight hint of annoyance that has Delirious grinning. “I am a mortal that has vowed and pledged to return Eternal Night home to the stars. His presence is required, as the world will burn without him, and the Solar King’s temper will not be defused until he goes home.” 

“Interesting words for a mortal,” Suni replies. “But it doesn’t matter to us. Our realm exists on a different plane; the Sun and Moon gods do not affect us. And why would you have Robin Goodfellow with you?”

“I am leading up to that, Queen Titania.” Brock even drops in a quick bow for added charm and Evan does his best not to smile. “And while it may be true that they do not affect this world, the absence of the human’s stories will.”

At that, Suni sits up straighter. Her eyes widen for a fraction before returning to their cool glare. Even Craig starts in surprise while Puck’s head jerks up, eyes wide with shock. 

"Whatever do you mean, mortal?” Suni asks. Her stance indicates that she knows the answer already and knows the effect of his statement. Brock clears his throat and continues on. 

“Stories keep this realm alive. The tales of King Oberon and Queen Titania and Robin Goodfellow still travel in the Earth realm, obviously.” Brock’s hands toy with the bottom of his tank top, and with a closer inspection, Puck suddenly realizes that Brock is fucking terrified.

“What happens if the Solar King burns the mortals? No more stories to pass around, no mentions of the Courts of Fairies to anyone or anything. Robin Goodfellow has accompanied us on our quest to return Nyx home.” Brock is firm in his words, although the small quiver at the end of his voice gives away his nervousness. “And we intend to take him with us.”

“What hold could you possibly have over Puck?” Suni snaps, bristling in anger. “He has run out of quests and adventures, he prides himself on merely being noticed by anyone nowadays, and—“

“Please,” Puck’s voice croaks from the throne. “No more. I know. You don’t have to remind me.”

Brock holds up his left hand in defiance. “He is rightfully courting me, and I have accepted his gifts. When we go to Persephone, he is coming with us.”

There’s a sharp intake of breath around the Court; Craig, who hasn’t had this much excitement in forever, Suni, who’s staring in disbelief at the ring, and Puck, whose eyes are huge and full of shock. 

_He’s…he’s accepting my courting?_

Behind them, Evan almost chokes on a glob of void and has to be patted on the back by Delirious. The Sea looks briefly amused before he’s whispering words of reassurance in Nyx’s ear. 

“The Night God was ripped from the heavens,” Brock says with confidence. “It was merely the effect of a lunar eclipse; he became Icarus for a moment and was thrown down for a small mistake. It was no one’s fault. Puck has joined to help us reach Persephone. While you may be right about him wanting a quest, I have already agreed on taking him with us.”

On the throne, Craig groans so loud that even Suni jumps in surprise. “For fuck’s sake. This dude knows how to talk his way around us; are you sure he isn’t a fae or some shit? Anyone from the Unseelie Court?”

Suni squints at Brock, who blinks at her observation. “No, he’s far too bright for that. Literally and figuratively. If we let you head through our realm to Persephone’s, what’s in it for us?”

At that, Evan steps forth and draws on glamour like a cape. “Protection from me and the Solar King,” he says. “Your fae will not have to worry about iron in the Earth realm.” 

Judging from the way that both Oberon and Titania nearly leap out of their thrones, it’s a really good deal. They barely have to consult each other before Craig is nodding furiously. “We accept!”

“Directions to the Underworld, safe passage there, and Puck coming with us." Evan says, and Suni waves her hand. "Done. Get out of here, we have nothing else to keep you here."

At Brock's beckoning, Puck gets up and hurries on over. The relief in his eyes is overwhelming and the two automatically fall in step with each other as the group rushes away from the Courts. 

A fairy path leads through the woods and Evan takes the lead with Delirious bringing up the rear. "Why did you save me?" Puck whispers, and for a moment he doesn't look fae. He looks truly human and it's that thought that has Brock burning red. 

"I did the right thing," he says, and Puck just stares at him. "It's okay, I promise! I'm okay with the courting too." 

Puck clears his throat. "I still don't have your name, but I can tell you my True name first before we strengthen the bond." His voice is shaky but genuine and Brock instinctively knows that True names are very important. He cannot tell anyone else what Puck's True name is.

"Okay," he says hesitantly, and Puck leans forward. As they walk, the fae's fingers wrap around his arm, and a warm breath whispers, "My name is Brian."

The trees groan around them and a warm breeze ruffles around the duo. Brian shuts his eyes as the mortal returns the favor as a sign of trust. "My name is Brock," he says, and Brian shudders at the willingly given name. 

Their bond was forged even deeper and Brian clutches onto Brock's hand, trying not to let his eyes well with tears. It had been a very long time since he had found a human even _worthy_ of his attention, let along his affection. 

But something about this one was extremely different. Perhaps he could...do something...

As Brock quietly speaks of the stars, Brian concentrates on the mortal's soul. It's beautiful and bright and there's two shields surrounding it. He taps onto one briefly and jolts at the coldness of the Night sky, stars glittering and burning and sharp. 

Evan's imprint was very obvious. The second one was a bit more hidden, and Brian frowns as he spots the turquoise color of the imprint. For a moment, the waves roar in his ears, and he lets his essence leave Brock's soul. He turns to stare at Delirious, who waves with a grin that seems far too inhuman. 

Well. Brock had the imprint of two gods.

And now he would have the fae's protection as well. 

Brian lets his own imprint settle over Brock's heart; it was warm and golden and twined with Brock's aura, basically claiming him in a certain way. Brock shivers and then glances at Brian, cheeks warm as he looks away. 

_This mortal was going to be the death of him._

"We're here," Evan raises his voice from the front of the group. "The fairy path led us to the Underworld." 

The area in question was merely a slab of rock that leaned against the bottom of a cliff. It was deep in the Seelie Court's territory and was buzzing with rich magic. Brock wraps the Night cloak around his shoulders to combat the dizzying effects of the glamour. 

Evan crosses his arms while Delirious sneezes from the forest magic. "How do we get in?"

"Allow me," Brian steps forth and draws on his glamour like a weapon. He aims it at the rock and murmurs under his breath, grinning as the rock shudders and slides away. "Being alive for so long teaches you some tricks." 

"Watch it, Trickster," Evan warns, but something in him has softened. "You have to stay close to me. All three of you, actually. Delirious, the rivers are not part of your realm. You have jurisdiction over them up here but down there, it's all Persephone's territory. She'll take great offense if you try to control them."

Delirious holds his hands up. "Stay away from the water and stick close to you so we can meet the scary lady. Gotcha." 

Evan rolls his eyes but he's honestly not wrong. "Pretty much. Puck, you're part of the team now. Please don't get us kicked out." 

"I'll do my best," Brian replies with a smile. Delirious and Brock head through the darkness first and Brian almost walks in after them before he gets stopped by Evan.

"I felt the imprint you put on Brock," the Night God says in a low tone. "You better keep him safe, Robin Goodfellow. I already have the love of my life and now I have a favorite mortal. Do NOT hurt him, or you will be wiped forever from Shakespeare's poems." 

Evan's eyes darken to pure void. **"Do I make myself clear?"**

Brian gives him a salute that has his hands shaking a bit more than he'd like them to. "Crystal." 

With the dismissal evident, Brian hurries after the other duo and Evan pauses at the rocks. He glances up at the sun and sighs, letting several starry feathers drift to the ground. He finally allows himself to cough and hack out the inky black goop that was starting to clog up his lungs onto the grass, where it burns and sizzles. 

The crown on his head is dimming.

 **"I'm sorry my love,"** Evan whispers to the Sun, and then he descends underground, letting the slab of rock close behind him.

* * *

Far above them, in the heavens, a man with sandy brown hair and electric blue eyes screams in anguish. His rage causes the golden crown on his head to glow even brighter, and sunlight keeps on sparking in his palms.

He has to make a terrible decision. 

Mind already made up, the man disrupts the cloud layer and burns his way down to Earth, fury flickering off his form as the Sun burns infinitely hotter.

_The Solar King is on his way._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly I'm excited for the underworld chapter, the person I wrote for Persephone fits so well?? I love her irl lmao I wanna be her friend
> 
> it fits super well and I hope y'all see the same resemblance


	4. underworld

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy first day of halloween!!!! here's the underworld chapter. figured it'd fit lol.

The Underworld is dark and deep as the slab closes behind them. For about a minute, the only thing that glows are three pairs of eyes; gold, sapphire, and ruby. Brock blinks in surprise and tries not to laugh as the other immortals stare suspiciously at each other. 

Bringing up the rear, Evan lets his wings spread out. They glitter faintly in the dark and he allows himself to fly up. The three look back at him and Brock does his best not to trip, grateful at the golden glow that Brian brings to his fingertips. 

“I can fly us to the gates,” Evan says, settling back on the stone path that leads towards a winding river. On the shore, a man waits near a lone canoe. Once spotted, the hooded figure looks up, and something ominous lurks towards the group.

Evan sighs. “Never mind. We have to take the Ferryman.” 

Brock, of course, was doing his best to remember the myths surrounding the Underworld. Due to his introvert nature, he tended to stay in libraries and read history books. Mythology was one of his favorite subjects and he was glad he had spent so much time reading on it.

“So we go through the Ferryman,” the mortal says slowly. “Then past Cerberus and the gates, past the judges’ table, and to the palace of the Underworld?”

Delirious lets out a low whistle, moderately impressed. “You imprinted on a really good mortal, Nyx.”

Evan can’t help but puff out his feathers in pride, making Delirious and Brian laugh and causing Brock to blush. “Yep, that’s our entire journey. Just…please be cautious with the Ferryman, he’s quite lonely.” 

Brian raises an eyebrow as they approach the murky shores of the River Styx. It whispers to him, speaking of long forgotten loves and taunting him of his immortal life. 

_You killed all of them, it’s all your fault, you drove them insane!_ The voices shriek with laughter. The fae stiffens and can only stare off into space, tears welling in his eyes. 

Next to the fae, Delirious groans and tries to cover his ears. “The stupid goddamn whispers. They’re telling me shit!”

Brock ignores the murmurs of _you’re always alone, no one will ever stick around and no one will ever bother with you, Brian only wants to tug you along, no one cares_ and instead focuses on Evan. 

The Night God is trembling. There is only one voice that reaches his ears, and he can hear the Solar King wailing in his head. _You left me to burn; where were you Nyx? Abandoning your kingdom for a worthless human? Destroying me before you melt into a puddle of darkness?_

“Stop,” Evan croaks. “Please, stop. You’re not him.”

Brock looks around frantically and his gaze falls on the Ferryman. The two lock eyes (or Brock thinks they do) and he hurries over, doing his best to block out the noise. “Charon,” he grits, and doesn’t allow himself to feel proud at the shocked startle the Ferryman has, “We would like to see Persephone.” 

Charon tilts his head, and an omega sign burns on his hood. 

It reminds him of the Scales of Libra.

“Fairness is something that isn’t common,” Brock gasps as he wipes away his tears. The Styx is really coming for him now; taunts and laughter make him want to curl up into a ball again, and of course his memories of elementary and middle school are springing up and making his breath go short. “But Erebus didn’t deserve to fall from the heavens, Apollo doesn’t deserve to hurt without him, and you don’t deserve to be lonely for now.”

Charon makes a soft noise and holds out a hand. His body language is expectant, and Brock winces as he realizes what it means. “I don’t have any coins to carry us over, but I can give you something that no one has in probably thousands of years.” 

There's something amusing in watching a human step forth on the canoe to wrap the Ferryman of the Underworld in a giant hug, and seeing Charon flail around for a moment before awkwardly hugging back. 

A voice being cleared echoes from the hood, and Brock steps back. **“That’s…a hug, right?”** The voice says with a tinge of surprise. **“No soul really does that. They just kinda cry and yell about their lives and ignore me.”**

“I don’t plan on dying for a long time,” Brock tells him. “But when I do, I promise I’ll give you the biggest hug before heading to the Underworld.”

There’s a soft chuckle from under the hood and hazel eyes gleam out at him, crinkled in laughter. **“You are a strange one, mortal. You willingly walk into this place with two gods and a fae behind you and ask politely to speak to the Queen. You even have all of their imprints and that’s quite special.”**

“I’m just trying to get my friend home,” Brock tells him modestly. “He crash-landed in my backyard.” 

Charon peers over at Evan, who’s struggling to get up from the sand on the riverside. **“And your friend is the God of Night?”**

“Yep.” 

**“Hm.”** To Brock’s surprise, he’s trying not to laugh. **“Well, it seems as if your friends are struggling to get rid of the Styx. You have shaken it off already, which worries me because that river feeds on misery and despair. You have already heard those words before.”**

“People weren’t nice to me,” Brock gives a shrug, but his hands are shaking. “I’m used to it. I’ve learned to live with it.” 

Charon eyes him down and then sighs, waving his hand over the group. The whispers of the Styx die away and Brian gasps in relief, tears streaming down his face. Evan’s curled up in his wings and clutching his crown.

It’s Delirious who gets up first. He sways a bit, but manages to get to his feet and use his trident to support himself. “What the fuck was that,” he growls, eyes flashing at Charon. 

**“I’m going to take you across the river.”** Charon says calmly. **“The Styx will not bother you while I row you across.”**

“Thank you, Charon.” Brock says gratefully. He hurries over to both the fae and the god, getting Evan up first before reaching Brian. “Are you okay?”

“Fuck, that hurt.” Brian whispers. “Styx really fucked me up there for a moment.” 

Puck stumbles as he gets up, and Brock wraps his arms around his waist. “I know about all the legends and the myths, y’know.” The mortal whispers into his ears. “But I think I trust you with this.” 

Brian gives him a watery smile and he suddenly realizes that his statement meant the world to the fae. “Thank you.” 

**“Let us embark before the Styx returns,”** Charon murmurs, and Brian practically scrambles to get onto the canoe with Brock in tow. Delirious helps Evan get on and the four awkwardly try to sit on the narrow seats. It takes them a moment to get adjusted and then they’re off, sailing through the murky river.

“Are you cursed here?” Brock asks, blinking up at the Ferryman. “Or do you just love your job?”

Charon chuckles, startling the other immortals in the group. **“I used to be cursed. Now I just enjoy my time down the river. I’m so old that the Styx can never bother me again; if I don’t remember my old life, how can the river taunt me for it?”**

They’re quiet again, and then Charon turns to Evan. **“Night God. Why travel my route? Why not contact Isis yourself?”**

Evan clenches his jaw. “I have fallen from my home. There isn’t any communication to her on Earth’s plane. Trust me, I’ve tried.” 

The Ferryman nods and glides them down the Styx, humming thoughtfully. **"For whatever it's worth, best of luck. I long to see the stars one day, but my time has not come yet. Please make sure the constellations are bright."**

"Of course," Evan replies, yellow eyes glittering. 

They reach the riverbank and disembark. "Thank you very much," Brock says gratefully. "We all truly appreciate your help."

Charon tilts his head. **"I was merely doing my job, but thank you for talking with me. No one has done so in a very long time. I wish you safe travels."**

The group echoes Brock's goodbye and Brian manages a small wave at Charon out of respect. They all turns back to the obsidian gates of the Underworld, barely hearing the Ferryman paddle off. Brian opens his mouth, then shuts it as something _growls_ above him. “That’s…that’s Cerberus, isn’t it.”

Delirious and Brock haven’t said a single word, as they’ve been staring at the _giant fucking dog that’s guarding the gates._

Evan unfolds his wings and flies up to Cerberus’s eye level; for a moment, he has to properly squint to have the dog adjust in his vision, but the fog clears and the Night God manages to smile at the middle head. “Hello, Kino.”

“Kino?!” The other three exclaim from the ground. 

The Owl turns to the left head and waves. “Hi Archie!” To the right head, he just slightly bows and says, “Chief, it’s nice to see you again.”

“Isn’t this Cerberus?” Brian hisses. “Like, the dog that can fucking kill anything? Why the fuck is he talking to him like he’s a mortal animal?”

At that, Cerberus growls and lowers his three heads to glare at Brian. The fae pales and slowly backs behind Brock, who tries not to laugh. 

Honestly, Cerberus looks more like a Dalmatian than anything. The thick fog that covers him feels like glamour, and if Brock doesn’t concentrate enough then the dog’s form goes back into being a Rottweiler. 

Slowly but surely, Brock steps forward and even Delirious holds up a hand to try and grab his shoulder. “Wait, Brock—!”

Cerberus leans down and the middle head, Kino, regards Brock with a certain look in his eye. The mortal lights up and coos, “Who’s a good boy?”

Everyone freezes, and Evan tries so goddamn hard not to laugh. 

(Of course, he knows that Cerberus is a huge softy. He also knows that Persephone genuinely loves her baby very much and would protect him till the end of her days.)

Archie’s head whines, and Chief barks once, sending everyone stumbling back. It’s Kino that still leans down to get behind-the-ear scratches, and his tail slams the ground every time Brock has to use both of his hands to scratch. 

Evan flies around to scratch Archie's ear, and then Chief's. Cerberus looks pleased but perks up when Evan leans in to whisper, "I need to see your mom. Will you let us in?"

Cerberus cocks his head and seems to hesitate. He woofs softly, looking at the Owl, the Sea King, and Goodfellow. The dog's eyes land on Brock and sniffs him. There's several scents coming off the human; imprints, of course. 

Brock smells like starlight and sea-foam and sunlight and yeah, that's good enough for him. Cerberus lets out a small bark and steps aside, tail thumping the ground again as Brock pats his side. "You're the best boy!" He exclaims, and laughs when Cerberus barks excitedly.

Evan winces as he feels void start to clog his throat again, and he coughs once when he croaks out, "I'm sorry, but we need to hurry. I can shadow travel us to the castle; just hold your breath again."

They all nod, and Evan's chest rattles as he extends his shadow to cover the entire group. There's an empty abyss for a single moment and then they all pop back into the Underworld, gasping as an ivory castle looms in front of them.

Evan stumbles once and uses Brock's arm as a crutch, striding into the castle with Delirious and Brian flanking them. The castle is silent and eerie; Brock shudders, doing his best to repress the feeling to run and hide. 

**"There is only one presence to enter my home that smells like the stars and darkness,"** A female voice calls out. **"Nyx, what the hell are you doing here?"**

Evan's feathers fluff out and he hurries through two large onyx doors. The group follows close behind and Brock has to catch his breath, eyes wide as he stares at the figure on the pure black throne.

The woman is short but imposing, with silky white-gold hair that tumbles to her midriff. Her eyes seem to shimmer between red and pink and she has onyx jewelry coating her skin. 

"Persephone," Brock whispers. 

"I ran into an issue," Evan grits his teeth. "I just need a way to get home."

Persephone's eyes widen and she throws her head back to laugh, dropping the powerful voice in the process. "Did you fall AGAIN? Must Hestia work her magic on you once more?"

Evan stills, and Delirious blinks. Brian just shrugs at Brock. "...Hestia?"

Persephone sighs heavily, bringing her hand to her face. "Look, Owl, you've done this before. You know you've fallen before."

Brock remembers his words from when he first met the Night God. _"I was supposed to remember the consequences of what happens during this time and he won’t know where I am!"_

"He forgets how he gets back home to prevent the sky from breaking, right?" Brock asks, and takes a step back when Persephone smiles widely at him. "And who are you supposed to be?"

There's a single pause, and she grins even wider. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here."

"DON'T," Evan spits out, panicked. "Persephone, Kelly, PLEASE."

Kelly slides down from her throne and practically glides across the floor, beckoning with one finger. "Come here, mortal." 

He can't refuse. How can he; she's the Queen of the Underworld!

Brian grasps his arm, but Brock gently removes it and presses a simple kiss to the fae's knuckles. "I'm not going anywhere," he murmurs, and Brian stares after him like it's physically hurting him. 

Brock makes his way to the Queen and bows before saying anything. "Queen Persephone," he says, and Kelly chuckles. "Did you teach your imprinted mortal how to greet me properly?"

"No," Evan whispers. "He just came that way."

"Interesting." Kelly's eyes glitter.

"Queen Persephone," Brock tries again. "We were trying to find a way to get the Night God home. The Solar King will head after him and destroy the Earth!"

"Oh, he's already on his way." Kelly studies her nails. "He broke the cloud cover about 20 minutes ago."

Silence falls, and Evan's face reminds Brock of a dying star; destroyed, hurt, horrified, and pale. "Oh, god," Evan's crown dims even more. "What have I done?"

"But that's why we need to get him home!" Delirious shouts from the back. "Those two idiots can't talk to each other and humans will die from a miscommunication!"

Kelly shrugs. "It brings more souls to my realm. I don't see the downside to this."

Brock, still standing in front of her, racks his brain for myths. _Something about death, something about ghosts?! What could change her mind?!_

"Why don't you want Evan to get home?" He asks carefully, and Kelly's attention is back on him. "What do you gain from this?"

Persephone shrugs again. "It's nothing to me, but I don't feel like enduring another lecture from the Ancient One. He's boring enough as it is."

Brock's jaw drops. "A LECTURE?! You won't let him go home for a LECTURE?!"

Kelly's eyes narrow and the room drops in temperature. "Mortal, do not tempt me to strike you down right here, right now. I don't give a single SHIT if he's imprinted on you. This is for Nyx to learn his lesson; he fucked up, he lives with the consequences."

"AND THAT'S THE DESTRUCTION OF LIFE ON EARTH?!"

"Thems the breaks, kid." 

Crap. He really needs to think of something. Actions won't do him any good, and Brock was never a good puncher. He fights with words, with inspiring things, with trying to do the lesser evil—

That's IT.

"If you have the extinction of everything on Earth," Brock snaps. "Then the Underworld is going to be SO CROWDED."

"So what?" Kelly sighs, starting to walk around her throne room. "Could always use new souls."

"And have them spilling all over the place?! You know the Fields of Asphodel will NOT hold the world in there." Brock clenches his fists and risks a glance at Evan.

The Night God has sunk to the ground; his yellow eyes have faded to pure black, and he's spilling stardust from his lips. Delirious and Brian are doing their best to calm him but it seems as though he's starting to self-destruct. 

Kelly freezes for a moment. "We've got room in here, mortal. We'll even have an extra space left over after I toss you into Tartarus."

"That's so much paperwork for the judges!" Brock snarls. "And it disrupts the balance of life! You want to live in peace, right? This is the OPPOSITE of that!"

Flames roar in the background as Kelly marches forward and seizes Brock's shirt collar. **"DO NOT SPEAK TO ME IN THAT MANNER,"** She snarls back at him. **"I AM THE QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD, PERSEPHONE, ISIS, KELLY, AND I AM THE FINAL END OF EVERYTHING!"**

"The final end of everything is stardust," Brock says wearily. "And then the cycle starts all over again. Please let him go home."

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Kelly stares at him, pupils a vivid red, and then throws her head back to cackle, dropping him. "Holy shit," she wheezes. "You are PERSISTENT! Alright, mortal, I'll do it only for a deal. A way to get home in exchange for something else."

Brian jerks his head up and stares at Brock, shaking his head. "Don't you fucking dare—"

"My soul and some advice on my end." Brock breathes out. "That's my offer."

"No," Evan croaks, golden tears leaking out of his eyes as Delirious glares furiously. "Don't, PLEASE—"

Kelly holds up one hand to silence him. "Your soul and advice? Well shit, that's an offer I haven't heard in a while. Keep your soul dude, but I want that advice."

Brock blinks. The other trio is wide-eyed, staring at the Queen. "What?"

Kelly gestures to their surroundings. "In case you haven't noticed, pretty much everything heads to the Underworld. It doesn't matter if you want to give me your soul. That was very noble of you though, so I'll put in a good word for you when you die."

The relief that hits him is so strong that Brock nearly passes out. "Thanks," he manages to say, and Kelly makes sure he's still standing. "So what's that advice?"

Brock clears his throat and tries to ignore the other three immortals still staring at him. "If you do get that lecture, just zone out. It's what I did when people yelled at me or tried to say something bad. I just thought of food or something along those lines and tuned them out. Remember to blink every once in a while, and nod like you're understanding."

Kelly bursts out laughing and grins. "That's the best advice I've gotten in millennia. Fuck yeah dude, I'll let you guys go. Make sure to be friends with Hestia first, although I'm guessing you don't need that advice either."

The Queen turns to address Evan, who's struggling to get up. For a brief moment, there's sympathy in her eyes.

"You're dying," she says bluntly, and Evan nods with defeat. "You have about an hour until you're completely dead and the world goes apeshit. Along with your dumbass boyfriend." 

"Where do we need to go?" Evan rasps out. 

Kelly waves a hand and the image of a tree appears. "Where you always go home, stardust particles and all. Everyone eventually makes their way here." 

Brock's words are caught in his throat. He _recognizes it, of course he does._

"Yggdrasil," he breathes. 

Kelly nods. "The World Tree. That's your destination. You'll never make it if you shadow travel, so I'll allow you to use one of my portals to get there. Mortal, you might pass out for several minutes though, and you're the calm one out of your group. Be ready to work your magic."

"Thank you," Brock whispers, and the others are just silent. There's nothing else to really say. 

"Kelly," Evan bursts out, eyes wide as Kelly leads them to an inky black pool on the ground. She says something in a low tone and it starts to glitter, turning a shade of navy before settling on a deep forest green. "Can you please tell him to meet us at Yggdrasil? I'll be in your debt, I promise." 

"It's whatever. I'll send him your way with some coordinates." Kelly wrinkles her nose. "He's gonna come rushing in here all blazing with sunlight and fire and honestly, that's just not good for business. I'd rather him fight Odin and I'll watch from the sidelines." 

That's the last image Brock has of the Queen of the Underworld before he jumps into the puddle, and for a brief moment, he can see her smile before the portal winks out of existence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note: charon is definitely ohm lmao but I didn't put him in the tags since I considered him kinda minor. sorry bud. love you.


	5. yggdrasil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> still working on 'act one scene zero''s next chapter, and I'm writing the beginning of the final chapter for 'what remains'.
> 
> halloween story is still going on, it just gets a bit tiring to try and write different kinds of gore. I gotta be creative on some of this :')

Kelly is right; the moment Brock jumps through the portal, he proceeds to immediately pass out in Evan’s arms. 

It's dark but feels like home. Brock curls himself around Evan’s torso and hums, smiling in his sleep. He’s safe, he’s comfortable, he just wants to nap forever—

* * *

“BROCK!” 

To no avail, Brock isn’t waking up. Brian stares in horror as Evan calls gently into the mortal’s ear. 

The portal has dumped them into a beautiful garden that feels like sunshine. The flowers are in full bloom, and animals scurry around. One rabbit hops up with curiosity and continues to stay, even as Delirious glares angrily at it. 

“Where the fuck are we?” He snaps. “Where’s the tree?”

Brian looks around and realizes that it’s just a meadow. There’s no tree. 

“DID SHE LIE TO US?!” The fae roars, glamour sparking off. It burns the immortals’ nose for a moment before settling down. Evan sighs and shakes his head. “She didn’t lie. We’re just not allowed to see the tree.”

“What—“

“Hello,” a quiet voice murmurs. The three whirl around and Evan gasps, immediately dropping to his knee. Delirious, although hesitant, follows seconds later. 

Brian figures it’s in his best interest to bow so he does, hands shaking. 

The girl in front of them has long red hair and sparkling brown eyes. She’s wearing a very simple summer dress that shimmers in the light. She regards their group with a soft smile. “Owl, it’s nice to see you again.”

“Gentle One,” Evan says, voice ragged. “I—I disappointed you. I’m so sorry. Oh god, I’m so sorry. This wasn’t supposed to happen.” 

She hums and turns to Delirious, who actually straightens from his usual slouch. “I haven’t seen you in millennia since my wedding, Ocean King.”

“Hestia,” Delirious whispers. “I’m sorry I haven’t visited. I’ve been really busy, I promise.”

“I know,” she says. “Your realm encompasses most of the Earth and you must tend to their duties. I understand, don’t worry. It’s been quite a long time since anyone has visited me anyways.” 

The Goddess of the Home looks at Brian and at this, she steps forward to take his hand. “Robin Goodfellow, it is lovely to meet you at last.” She says joyfully. “I have heard infinite stories about your adventures. Do you truly use glamour for your wings?”

Brian waves his hand and reveals his glittery wings, and she gasps with excitement. “They’re beautiful!”

“Thank you,” he says shyly, and Evan raises an eyebrow. 

Hestia finally acknowledges the mortal in Evan’s arms. Her eyes widen before she walks on over, bare feet skimming the grass. “And is this…?” She breathes, reaching out. 

"I’ve imprinted on him.” Evan says. A shudder runs through him and Brian automatically reaches forward to take Brock. Delirious creates a sphere of water and holds it out in front of the Night God as he spits globs of void into it. 

Hestia watches the whole thing with a neutral expression. She looks thoughtful for a moment, then turns to the empty air and lets out a piercing whistle. 

A ripple of fear runs through Brian. He doesn’t recognize the call, but he notices Delirious tensing up and that’s all he really needs to know. 

A shadow falls across everyone; Brian lets his glamour create a shield around him and Brock, sending golden sparks everywhere. 

Two wolves and two ravens appear out of nowhere and Hestia uses magic to lift a small tree out of the ground. The ravens settle on its branches and caw out to her. 

The wolves rush on over and Hestia pats their fur, smiling as one licks her face. “Geri, Freki! Where is my love?”

One of the ravens croak and she squints. “Thank you, Huginn. Muninn is sleeping on the job again?”

The other raven does look a bit ashamed and points his beak towards a rumbling cloud. Brian watches as a figure appears out of the cover of the clouds and descends, having magic flare into his hands. 

**“WHO DARES TO VENTURE TO YGGDRASIL,”** the voice roars. **“INTO ODIN AND FRIGG’S DOMAIN, THE ANCIENT AND GENTLE ONE, THE—“**

“Love,” Hestia calls out. “The Night God is here.” 

There’s a pause and the figure comes into view. He’s wearing a giant cape with curly black hair, and deep brown eyes glare at them. No one seems to comment on the strange hat he’s wearing. 

Odin seems to blink once, twice, before snapping, “Why the FUCK is he here if we told him last time not to do it again?” 

One of the wolves bark and Odin sighs, walking to press a kiss to his wife’s cheek. “What’s your reason now, Ny—holy SHIT.”

Evan doesn’t look so good. With Brock still asleep in his arms, Brian can barely do anything. Delirious still has the water orb that’s slowly turning pitch black from Evan’s sickness. His feathers aren’t as vibrant and his orbital crown is slowing down. A hint of darkness lingers in the neon yellow eyes. 

“This is worse than last time,” Odin mutters as he crouches next to the Owl. “You’ve stayed out too long.”

“Solar King—“ Evan rasps. “On way—didn’t make it back—“

“And neither will you, by the look of it.” Odin glares. He turns towards Brock and freezes. “And what the FUCK is a MORTAL DOING HERE?!”

Hestia puts her hand on Brock’s forehead, and smiles. “He’s been imprinted on by Nyx, Sea King, and Robin Goodfellow. Tell me what you think of that, love.”

Odin hums in acknowledgement. "This is certainly different than last time. What will Apollo say?"

Evan gasps as his fingers transform into talons and scrape against the ground. _"Please,"_ he begs them. "I can barely keep myself in this form for much longer."

He looks at Hestia, who blinks down at him. "Simone," he wheezes. "If not for me, then for the mortal. He has managed to recruit the God of the Seas and Robin Goodfellow into our group, talked his way into passing Oberon, Titania, and Persephone, and befriended Charon and Cerberus in the matter of minutes." 

Odin narrows his eyes and Simone laughs. "Oh Marcel, this mortal seems like a sweetie! Please let me wake him up."

"Fine," Marcel grumbles. "He's harmless, I can tell that from here."

Simone lets her hand hover over Brock's forehead and murmurs something quietly, a lovely red glow coming from her palm. Brian can feel it in his soul; a quiet feeling of _"wake up"_ and flashes of the Seelie Court appear in his head. They get replaced by a home on the countryside, a hill big enough to stargaze on, and Brian is entranced. 

Brock moans in his sleep and his eyes scrunch, hand reaching out. Brian adjusts his grip so he can grab the offered hand, curling his fingers around the mortal. "Brock, love, wake up." He whispers. "We're so close to getting Evan home." 

"Home," Brock mumbles, and he wakes up. 

Brian lets out a sigh of relief and presses his lips to Brock's forehead, gently setting him down. "Go to Evan. He's dying, Brocky. We gotta do something."

The mortal stumbles on his feet but rushes to the Night God, hands running over his feathers. "I can't be too late," Brock exhales. "I'm gonna get you home." 

Evan's body keeps changing, and he shrieks in agony. Owl talons dig into Brock's shirt and the mortal just wraps himself around Evan, tears dripping down his cheeks as void spills out of Evan's mouth. 

Delirious and Brian keep a respectful distance but they both look horrified and upset. Simone and Marcel exchange a glance with each other and Marcel jerks his head at the mortal. "How did he manage to find him?"

"He crash-landed," Brock chokes out, "on a hill I was stargazing on. Wanted to help him get home."

"He's telling the truth," Simone murmurs to her husband. "There isn't an ounce of lies in his soul. Hyperion should be here soon."

Marcel massages his temples at the thought of the fiery god bursting into the realm. "Fine. We'll let Yggdrasil appear, but on one condition; we're not going to wipe this instant from your head. You're going to remember everything; the pain, the agony, the feeling of falling from the stars."

Evan wails and grows even bigger, still curled around Brock. His feathers fade from actual form to pure darkness, stars burning out in his vision. 

"He accepts!" Brock yells over the pain. 

Above them, the realm pulses a deep golden color. Brian sniffs and realizes there's a tinge of rage on the breeze. Delirious stiffens again and pulls out his trident, eyes narrowed. "He's here."

"What do we do?" Brian asks. He's never actually met the Solar King, and honestly, he's terrified. What would he say to them? Would he attack on sight? 

"Absolutely nothing." Delirious replies. "We can't do anything."

The golden glow transforms into flames and Delirious raises a shield of water, covering himself and Brian. The two throw themselves over Evan to protect him and Brock since they're the most vulnerable at the moment. 

Behind them, a rumbling sound grows louder as the ground cracks. Roots spread out in the meadow and a magnificent tree rise up, spiraling to the heavens. Portals glow and shimmer with different worlds; at the bottom, the Underworld portal sends angry red sparks.

At the very top, something very ancient and ethereal hums in the canopy. 

Evan shrieks again and shuts his eyes, rapidly reopening them. Brock gasps at the faint hint of gold in his pupils; they're almost completely black. His crown makes one final orbit and stops, dropping out of Evan's gravity.

The ball of fire hits the meadow and Brock's breath gets taken away as he regards the man standing in front of him.

He's taller than Evan, with sky blue eyes and sandy brown hair. A crown made of sunlight settles on his hair with golden spikes coming off. He's wearing regal clothing, but it's very plain as there's fire literally burning on his skin.

The man pauses, looks at their group, and his eyes land on Brock. Hateful rage burns in his aura and he roars, **"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM?!"**

Evan screams again and Brock defiantly covers him. "I'm trying to get him home!"

Delirious helps him drag Evan to his feet and stumbles as his giant wings slam into the crew. Simone steps forward and supports him as well, taking him to Yggdrasil. 

**"DON'T YOU DARE TAKE ANOTHER STEP WITH HIM!"** The Solar King snarls. **"YOU ARE NOT WORTHY TO TOUCH THE GOD OF THE NIGHT AND STARS!"**

Brock keeps trying to hurry; the sooner Evan gets better, the faster he can calm down the Sun. Delirious finally just says "Fuck it" and picks up Evan, hurrying the rest of them towards the World Tree. 

The Solar King storms forth and gets stopped by Marcel, who glares back at him. "You have to let them go for now, Tyler," Marcel says. "He's almost home." 

"HE'S DYING!" Tyler howls, sending a flare of sunlight shooting around the realm. "I need to take him back up!" 

"Let Brock do this," Marcel insists, unnaturally kind. "It'll let the imprint strengthen and he'll be able to help."

Tyler's tan face pales considerably. "He **_IMPRINTED?"_**

They're almost at Yggdrasil, Brock whispering words of encouragement in Evan's ear. His heartbeat is slowing down; the void threatens to consume them, but Delirious and Brian keep it back with their imprints.

The other three keep him safe and stable. It's the best they can do for now. 

With no warning, the Sun flares up and rushes over the group. He shoves Delirious to the side; the Sea God hisses as they come in contact and make steam. Brian gets thrown to the ground and gasps as the golden imprint on Brock's heart pulses. 

Tyler grabs Evan and Brock and practically burns his way up Yggdrasil, his fury threatening to roast Brock to ashes. "You dare come in contact with my love and force him to imprint on your worthless human soul?" Tyler snarls. "Never in millennia has anyone been worth it and he thinks it's YOU? You're a fucking JOKE!"

"Please," Brock croaks. "I just want him to get home."

In the canopy, Tyler throws Brock in the leaves and stands at the portal to the heavens. It's swirling black and yellow, moon and sunlight mixing together in harmony. 

It's quite a sight; the Solar King himself standing in front of his domain, holding the Night God in his arms. Evan's limp and barely moving, dribbles of stars trailing out of his mouth. "He'll be dead in five minutes; if it wasn't for you, he would've been okay!"

Brock groans and tries crawling towards them, holding a hand out. "No, wait, hold on—"

"Shut the fuck up," Tyler snaps. "Thanks for nothing, worthless human."

There's yelling that's getting closer to the top of Yggdrasil but Brock tunes it out. He's a man on a mission; he did NOT just travel to several domains to be told "fuck you" by a pissy Sun God.

Brock reaches out, and Evan holds out a taloned claw. 

There's a plea in Evan's eyes. _"Come with me,"_ He begs mentally. Brock knows, understands, and the determination burns in his soul. His fingers grip the talon just before Tyler whisks them into the domain and—

Oh god. 

Everything **_burns._**

The scream that rips out of Brock's mouth isn't human. It's wild and feral and consumes his lungs and then entire body. It feels like his soul is being ripped apart.

In the realm of the heavens, it was expected that a mortal could not survive. Tyler watches as Brock spasms on the clouds with indifference. In his arms, the Night God dies.

* * *

There's more yelling and tears on Brock's face. They're not his, they've been evaporated in Tyler's sunlight, then who—?

 _"Wake up,"_ A voice sobs. "We're bonded, remember? You can't die on me. I've barely gotten to love you. Please come back to me, Brocky, you've gotta come back."

Simone's presence is nearby, and Marcel is comforting her. Delirious is yelling furiously at Tyler, who's not backing down. 

Brock feels his body getting picked up and being put down in soft feathers. "You both gotta wake up," Brian whispers. "Evan's dead and your heartbeat is stopping. WAKE UP!"

The mortal barely moves, but his hand comes up to wrap around Evan's wrist. Nyx is nearly consumed by darkness so Brock lets himself go, letting the void cover him. The constellations fade in and out of existence and for a brief moment, Brock feels like a shooting star, burning out in the atmosphere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dunno if anyone's interested but 'drabbles of starlight' is still being worked on too, it just doesn't have my full attention right now.
> 
> 'price of oblivion' will not be discontinued even tho it hasn't been updated since march but I will deal with that when it comes around lol


	6. home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this story is almost over! it was a blast to do this, wowzers.

Brock’s laying on a blanket and staring at the stars. 

Next to him, there's a man with hair as dark as the night. When he smiles at Brock, his eyes are a warm honey brown. 

Some part of him knows they should be neon yellow. 

“So!” Evan says cheerfully, blinking up at the sky. “How’s your boyfriend?”

Brock smiles at the thought of him, taking a quick glance at the ruby ring on his finger. “Brian’s doing good, busy doing his modeling stuff. I can’t believe I’m dating him. It’s our three-year anniversary coming up! How’s Tyler?”

Evan laughs at the thought of his grumpy fiancée. “He’s complaining about flower choices, so he’s doing pretty good. He shot down the cake as pizza idea though.”

Brock shrugs. “Why don’t you just add a pizza bar?”

Silence falls upon the duo, and then Evan gasps loudly. “OH MY GOD! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that! I can use the money I was gonna have for the mariachi band to surprise Tyler!”

The two dissolve into giggles and then Evan wipes a tear away. “I’m so glad you’re my best friend,” Evan says, still smiling at the sky. “Do you think the stars aligned for us to meet?”

“Maybe,” Brock replies. “I think it was fate.”

“Hm.” Evan hums. “How did we meet, Brock?”

The other man blinks, surprised. “Well, uh, wasn’t it here? On the hill?”

“And we were watching the constellations?” Evan prompts, drawing a midnight-black cloak around his shoulders that glitters with stars. “Think harder. What was I doing?”

“You fell?” Brock guesses. “Ev, what’re you doing? Why are you asking me this?”

“Because we’re dead.” Evan shrugs, bright yellow eyes staring back at him. “Just trying to get our bearings.”

* * *

**_“NO!”_**

For a moment, Simone is shocked at the outburst. It almost sounds like Tyler, and it’s too smooth to be Delirious’s cracked voice. 

It’s Puck. 

The fae has pale red tears streaming down his face. His eyes look feral and he’s still yelling angrily, doing his best to attack the Sun God as Delirious holds him back. “YOU KILLED HIM!” Puck howls, fingers outstretched like claws. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!”

The Solar King looks down at the puddle of midnight on the clouds and sighs. “Look, I didn’t think the mortal would come through. Why do you even care?”

“They’re bonded,” Simone says quietly, and Tyler looks at her in surprise. “Brock’s wearing his ring.”

Tyler peers down at the mortal that’s sprawled in a lifeless position; his left hand has the golden ring with the beautiful ruby pressed into it. Tyler squints and sees the glamour surrounding it, keeping it untarnished for all time.

In Brock’s right hand, there’s a feather stuck in his palm. It still drips with void, but there’s a single star in the midst of the darkness. 

Tyler exhales slowly. “Well. Then he might not be dead yet.”

Time itself slows down, and Delirious frowns at Brock’s pale body. “No offense, but he looks dead. He’s not breathing. His heart isn’t beating. What the fuck are you on about?”

Marcel narrows his eyes. “I’ve spent several millennia protecting Yggdrasil with Frigg and I think I know what you’re talking around. We’re still close enough to the tree, right? Its powers are still working?”

Simone’s eyes widen. “Yes, they are. I can feel Yggdrasil keeping them alive. It isn’t his heart we need to deal with, but his soul. But Nyx should be fine, yes?” 

Tyler leans down and scoops Brock up, noting the way that the void curls itself around his body. _He’s protecting him,_ Tyler’s sunlight whispers in his ear. _Even while nearly faded out of existence. You goddamn bastard._

“He will be,” Tyler finally says at last. “I can feel his imprint on the mortal’s soul though, and I think that the two need each other. How the fuck did all of you make it this far?”

Brian, at this point, has collapsed into Simone’s arms, sobbing about how he can feel their bond weakening. It’s Delirious who sighs and uses a water sphere to sit on, slouching and grumbling in the heavens. He’s really out of his element. 

“I didn’t see how the two met,” he starts, “but they ended up in my domain to ask for help. Brock seemed pretty cool for a mortal so I stopped to hear him out.”

Tyler, with narrowed eyes, listens as Delirious recounts their entire tale. From saving Brian in the Courts, to dealing with Persephone and becoming friends with Charon and loving Cerberus, and finally meeting Hestia and Odin at Yggdrasil. 

“That’s it?” Tyler asks. “It seemed like a longer journey.”

Delirious shrugs. “Dunno. It was only about a day, I’m pretty sure.” 

Tyler can do nothing but look down at Brock, gaze unflinching. This mortal was fragile; he was weak, he couldn’t truly do anything physical, and yet…

He had a story of kindness; a will of iron. Perhaps he would never hear Tyler’s pleas for his love to come home, the fear and horror of Tyler’s screams as he felt Evan’s wings brush his fingers and then plummet to Earth. 

But…he had gotten Evan home as best he could. 

With a burst of sunlight, Tyler rushes back through the portal of Yggdrasil. He can feel the presence of everyone follow him and he knows he doesn’t have much time as he rushes down the World Tree.

The thing is, imprinting on a mortal was only for lesser gods on the Earthly domain. If Evan really had left his mark, it was the only thing that was keeping him from reforming in stardust.

It was also the only thing that was keeping Brock alive. 

The stars would not relinquish their hold on the mortal. Even as Tyler gazes at the burning imprint on his soul, he can feel Zodiacs snarling at him to keep his distance away from Brock because _he’s the God of Night’s now, with the background Ocean and golden glow of the fae._

Such a powerful combination would allow him to continue on for a while longer. Is it worth it? For Evan?

The Solar King sighs and his palm flares a golden yellow. He leans down to Brock’s chest and mutters, **“I know you can hear me in there.”**

There’s a faint whisper of a mortal soul, and Tyler beckons Simone over. “Hestia. I need you.”

The goddess of the home makes her way to him after Marcel nods once, eyes dark as he suddenly understands the situation. She reaches down to the feather and ring and closes her eyes. “I need a point of return,” she says, and Brian stumbles forward to offer his memories of Brock’s home. 

A red string connects the two objects and Simone plunges her hand into the void, gasping at the cold but managing to connect the string to his heart. She hands off the end to Tyler; at the Sun God’s stare, she stands her ground. 

“You killed him, you bring him back.” Simone snaps. She’s not the kind and gentle sweetheart everyone knows her as; this is Frigg, at her prime and furious. A hearth fire burns at her back and Tyler knows he doesn’t have a choice. 

“Fine.” He growls back. “For Evan’s sake, not his.” 

Brian and Delirious watch with bated breath. “Wait, what—“ Brian gets cut off by a flare of sunlight. 

Tyler imprints, and the world goes dark.

* * *

“We’re DEAD?” Brock repeats, eyes wide. “Are you sure?”

Evan winces and the stars above him shudder. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure. Can you see Charon over there?”

The mortal whirls around to see a faint image of the Ferryman. “He’s…he’s blurry. I don’t think we’re fully dead yet.”

Evan stands to his full height; it’s been a little while since he’s seen the Night God at his restored state, and it’s still a sight to behold. His crown has the constant orbit Brock got used to and his clothes still glitter with constellations. 

Those striking yellow eyes blink at him, and Brock stands back as Nyx’s wings expand outwards. “Well. I think you’re right.” Evan looks down at himself. “Normally I would’ve reformed by now. I think you’re my tether to the Earth.”

Brock’s jaw drops and the scenery shifts from the hill to the interior of Brock’s home. “A what?!”

“A tether.” Evan looks amused. “It’s not a bad thing, it’s just a bond that continues to strengthen over Time. Kinda like your courtship with Brian except that one has romance added in.”

A blush spreads over Brock’s cheeks and Evan cracks up. 

In the sky above them, something pulses, and a golden glow expands to cover the stars. Evan grabs Brock and flies him upwards, shaking as he uses the void to cover the two of them. 

“Shield your eyes,” Evan hisses, and Brock buries his face into the soft feathers as a supernova explodes in front of them. 

He knows it’s the Solar King. There’s fire and flames and destruction but also creation, and he knows that Evan will counter whatever Tyler brings at him for killing his love. 

Nyx shifts, still holding onto Brock, and faces the love of his life. **“You’ve imprinted, I assume, to get him out of here?”**

Hyperion is too bright for the mortal eye but he still looks handsome to the Night God. **“I came to bring you home. He just happens to be there too.”**

A black hole flares above Nyx’s crown. **“He kept me safe, my love. He knew Time was of the essence and he wanted me home to you as soon as possible.”**

Hyperion rears back and growls, **“My dear, you _fell._ I will not forget that for a very long time. You were in my grasp, and I COULDN’T REACH YOU, and—!” **

Brock suddenly understands. It really does, and he’s upset that he didn’t realize it before, but now he has the chance to make amends. 

"Tyler?" He asks quietly, and he feels the auras die down immediately. When he lifts his head, Tyler looks the same as he did before. “I would like to show you something.”

Apollo grunts, a quiet affirmative, and the world shifts back and forth. It looked like an oil painting; moving constantly, shimmering on the surface, and it settles on the hill the night that Evan fell. 

Tyler watches as Brock leaps back in shock, staring down at the crater. Nyx’s void form wavers and he shifts into Evan, talking with the mortal and understanding what had happened. 

A warm palm gets pressed against the memory. “He fell of his own mistake,” Tyler realizes. “You didn’t actually pull him down.”

There’s clearly been a misunderstanding as Brock gasps and Evan flares angrily. “He didn’t do anything to me!”

“I get that now.” Tyler can’t tear his eyes away from the kindness on Brock’s face as he leads the fallen god into his own home. “Mortal…I’m sorry.”

“He has a name.”

Brock blinks as Tyler looks up at the sky, then back down with a sigh. “Look, he means the world to me. He’s very reckless, and impulsive, and sometimes annoying, but I really do love him.”

“I know,” he whispers. “He couldn’t stop thinking about you while he was stuck.”

Tyler and Evan exchange a glance; there’s tears in both of their eyes, and Tyler has to wipe away golden tears before starting to kneel on one knee. With both hands, he grasps Brock’s right hand and presses his forehead against it. 

“Brock,” Tyler’s voice echoes in the purgatory realm they were trapped in. “I humbly apologize for killing you and believing you to be a bad person. I’ve heard of your adventures and I have seen your kindness first hand. I would like to bring you and Evan back to the land of the living.” 

Brock sucks in a breath as a red string appears around his hand. He looks over at Evan, who nods, and he grips onto it. 

His soul _flares._

“Come back to me,” Brian begs. 

“C’mon kid, you gotta wake up.” Delirious mumbles quietly. 

"You can do this!” Simone whispers as she struggles to hold onto the string. 

“You’re kinda cool,” Marcel grudgingly admits. “It would suck to see you die.”

With Evan’s feathers brushing his cheek, and Tyler’s warm palm in his own, Brock finds the strength to hold on even tighter and the realm fades in front of his eyes.

* * *

There’s sobbing above him, but instead of agony, they’re tears of joy. “You’re back,” Brian whispers as hands cup Brock’s face. 

The mortal struggles to open his eyes, and it’s honestly worth it even if the brightness hurts. 

Simone is being held up by Marcel; the latter is murmuring words of love and support, congratulating her on saving both of them. “I’m so proud of you!” 

Tyler looks dazed from where he’s sitting in the meadow. Next to him, Delirious is watching the puddle of void slowly start to reform into a humanoid shape.

"Thought I died?" Brock asks weakly, and is unprepared for the crushing hug that Brian wraps him in. 

"You nearly did," the fae says fiercely. "Your soul was the only thing left. It was clinging onto Nyx's, and he kept you alive. Hestia had to do magic to get Hyperion into the realm the two of you were stuck in." 

Brock just nods. It makes sense, and he doesn't want to think about it any further, so he presses a kiss to Brian's cheek. "I'm sorry for scaring you," he murmurs. "Hopefully I'll still be alive in the next 70 or so years so I can bother you until I die for real."

Brian laughs, loud and full of tears, and he kisses Brock right on the lips. "I'm gonna add on a few years of life, my dear."

Next to them, Evan gasps as he reforms with bits of void dripping off his wings. He does a single shake, restored to his former glory, and spits out new stars. 

Tyler's crying too; there's relief pouring from his aura and he's shaking, letting himself get toppled over as Evan rushes him. 

There's a sigh from the universe. It feels like a puzzle being completed; something has been righted once again. 

The balance of the universe is back.

Brock takes a deep breath and settles back into Brian's lap, idly dozing. He's exhausted. It's been a long day (has it only been a day?) and he's pretty sure that he deserves his rest. 

Deep in the realm of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, Brock closes his eyes, feels Brian kiss his forehead, and he relaxes to take a well-deserved nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3


	7. eclipse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy halloween my loves, and welcome to the final chapter!
> 
> I think this has been one of my absolute favorites to figure out and write, I'm so happy at how this turned out!! thanks for joining me on this <3

There’s a polite knock on Brock’s door. 

Something hums lovingly in his soul and he throws open the door, smiling as he spots Simone in front of him. “Hestia!” He exclaims, reaching to give the goddess a hug. “How have you been?”

Simone blushes. She’s not quite used to being seen in the Earth realm, but she’s slowly getting used to it. “Doing extremely well! I’ve been able to travel quite a bit, and Odin sends his regards since he could not make it tonight.”

Brock nods and invites her in.

Brian’s already lounging on the couch in Brock’s hoodie, curled up as his red wings flutter twice before settling down again. He’s snoring softly and Brock’s ruby ring glows brightly as he passes the sleeping fae. 

Simone claps her hands together as they reach the kitchen. “I’m so excited!” She breathes out. “It’s been so long since I’ve baked anything. Are you sure I can make anything I want?”

“Of course!” Brock insists. “This is your home as much as mine.”

At that, Simone smiles winningly at him and the entire house sighs with warmth. 

The perimeter of the property tugs at something in Brock’s gut, and he quickly excuses himself as he heads back down the hallway. In the guest bedroom, Delirious is fast asleep as well in the bed. The entire room is practically converted into an aquarium; whenever the Ocean God wants to stay, Brock makes sure he feels like he’s at home. 

Brock heads outside and breathes in the cool air, admiring the way the sun is advancing to the middle of the sky. That’s where his destination is; he makes his way to the invisible force field that’s been set up around his home.

Not surprised at the figures in front of him, he grins and bows. “Hello again King Oberon, Queen Titania.” 

“Hi!” Craig waves excitedly. “We brought some gifts, if that’s cool with you?”

“Of course!” Brock allows them over the boundary. “Will you be staying for the performance?”

“Sadly, no.” Suni replies. “We have to deal with Queen Mab right now, and the Unseelie Court grows restless. We do greatly appreciate the gesture though. How’s Puck?”

Brock thinks of his boyfriend, still fast asleep on the couch. “He’s doing well. He makes me really happy being here.”

Oberon and Titania just smile at him. They both know that Puck absolutely loves his life now, being here with Brock and having a purpose again. The fae truly loves the mortal and their bond grows stronger every day.

“That’s good,” Suni says softly. “Thank you for taking care of him. There’s not much he can do anymore in our realm, and the fact that he’s happy is something incredibly important. You’re a good person, Brock.”

They hand over jars full of golden glitter; one giant one that Brock stumbles to catch, and a smaller one that twinkles with red sparks. 

"The bigger one is for tonight.” Craig winks. “The smaller one is when the time is right.”

“Ooh, ominous.” Brock mumbles, and the King and Queen of the Fairies burst out laughing. 

“You’ll know when it’ll be,” Suni does her best to stifle her giggles. “We’ll be in touch in a few years!”

Brock waves to the fae as they disappear into the forest. Directly on the other side of the property, something else tugs at him, and he sighs as he scoops up the jars and makes his way to the connection. 

When he gets there, he blinks once, mildly surprised at her, and bows formally. “Queen Persephone.”

“Oh shut it,” Kelly says affectionately. “None of that shit. You’ve already won me over, mortal, no need to rub it in.”

“Wait, what?”

“NYX!” She shouts to the empty air, still looking imposing even as she’s shorter than Brock. “MAY I HAVE THE HONOR OF IMPRINTING ON YOUR MORTAL?”

The breeze ruffles around Brock and he shivers as a blast of stardust hits him. It’s a yes, with the added warning of _‘don’t hurt him or I’ll fuck you up’._

Kelly rolls her eyes but looks pleased as she looks back at Brock. “Will you allow me to imprint on your soul?”

Brock smiles widely. “I’d be honored, Persephone. It’s getting a bit crowded though.”

The Queen of the Underworld laughs loudly and her hand glows a deep maroon red. “Fair enough. I’m shoving someone’s imprint aside, you’re the first mortal I’ve ever cared about.”

Touched, Brock shuts his eyes and feels his soul hum with more warmth as Kelly’s imprint gets left behind. It’s added to the collection; with Evan and Tyler’s, Brian’s still firmly over his heart, Delirious and Simone nearby as well. 

Six imprints. An unheard of thing to accomplish, but here he was, and even with his modesty Brock could understand that he was extremely special to the immortals. 

As Brock reopens his eyes, Kelly’s holding a flower out to him. “Asphodel,” Kelly explains as Brock reaches out with shaking hands and a dropped jaw to admire it. It’s pale pink with gray and white flowers, and gray-green leaves clump around it. “Food of the dead. Well, technically it is, but up here it won’t harm you. It’s just another thing to keep you safe.”

“Thank you,” he whispers. “It’s beautiful.”

Brock adds it to the growing pile of gifts and Kelly steps back to the glowing portal that’s behind her. “I have to return home, but I’ll be watching the show from my throne room. Enjoy yourself, Brock. If the gods don’t give you immortality, then you’ve earned your way into Elysium.”

He can only stare at her, shocked, and Persephone winks before stepping through the portal and vanishing into thin air. 

“…Well, then.” Brock manages. 

“BABE!” The call comes from the shadow above him, and Brock is shaken out of his state by the flutter of wings and the dropping of a body. 

"Brian!" He sputters, grinning as he hears his boyfriend crack up and he hooks his legs around his waist. He’s suddenly giving an impromptu piggyback ride and he’s not sure how he got here in the first place.

“Hi, love.” Brian coos down at him. The fae’s still wearing his hoodie and he’s got on a comfortable pair of sweatpants. “The house smells incredible, by the way. You gotta have Simone over a lot more.”

“It’s up to her,” Brock laughs as the jars and flower get lifted up by glamour. Brian cradles them in his arms and Brock makes his way back to his home. 

Delirious is waiting for them on the porch. “Hestia sent me outside because I tried stealing some of the snacks,” he shrugs, and Brock snickers as Brian gets off his back.

“I’m gonna set this one up,” the fae calls back as he lowers the bigger jar. “Wow. Oberon and Titania really sent their blessings, huh.”

Tyler’s sun is nearly in the center of the heavens. There’s a quiver of excitement from Evan’s presence in the sky, and slowly, the moon starts to rise in the east. 

“Here we go,” Brock whispers.

He knows that Evan’s worked hard on this. A year after returning his beloved friend home, Evan declared that he would paint the sky in Brock’s honor and Tyler agreed to help him.

This had been long overdue anyways.

Simone’s presence makes everyone relax around her, and she steps onto the porch and they all set off to the hill. 

The picnic blanket gets set out, food settled down, and the four of them relax on the blanket to admire the pink clouds as Evan’s moon closes in on Tyler’s sun. 

“Nyx hasn’t done this in over thousands of years,” Simone whispers. “It was always one of his favorite things to do, and now you have given him the chance to do it again.”

Brock flushes red and Brian looks proud; Delirious just snorts and uses his water to shield his eyes. “Might wanna look away for a moment.”

The immortals and Brock don’t look directly at the sky, the moon covers the sun, and the world goes pitch black. 

For a second, Brock can’t see anything in front of his face, and then Brian gasps out loud and the mortal’s ring glows a faint red. “Holy _shit.”_

The sky is ablaze in endless stars. The constellations are so incredibly vibrant, all of them are easily recognizable to the mortal eye. “There’s Leo,” Brock points up. “And Canis Major over there. Oh my god, Evan…”

Evan’s pride and joy; his stars, his patterns that he created eons ago. As they all stare up at the heavens, there’s movement in the sky, and both Evan and Tyler descend towards them. 

Tyler is still golden as always, but he seems a bit muted due to the eclipse. His rays aren’t as strong as they usually are but it doesn’t seem to faze him, since he’s staring at Evan with pure love in his eyes.

The Night God looks ethereal. His crown is in full orbit and his wings are spread entirely out. Evan breathes in and out and when he opens his eyes, they’re a neon yellow color that make Brock’s eyes well with tears. 

“Welcome back, Owl.” Hestia bows to Eternal Night. “Have you come to ask the question?”

 **“I have.”** Evan’s voice is powerful and clear; much better from his cries of agony as he died. **“Does anyone object?”**

Simone and Brian shake their heads immediately. Delirious replies, “Nah,” and then leans back on the blanket. As Evan turns to Tyler, the Sun God shakes his head as well. “I approve of it.”

 **“Very well.”** Evan turns to Brock and helps the mortal up. **“I haven’t done this in a very, very long time. My friend, you took me in, kept me safe, and returned me home. You’ve overcome so many obstacles and achieved something that no other mortal has done.”**

Brock stares at him as Evan kneels down, wings brushing the grass. The Night God is a mass of stars and darkness and void but when Brock looks into his eyes, he spots nothing but love and life. 

**“Brock,”** Eternal Night’s voice rings out into the heavens, **“Will you accept my offer to allow you to become part of my constellations?”**

It’s so silent a pin drop could be heard. Brock’s mouth opens but no sound comes out; at a strangled noise from him, Tyler steps forth. “He’s asking if you would like part of you to be immortalized into the heavens. It doesn’t hurt, it’s painless, and it’s always your choice.”

When Brock finds his voice, Brian has tears of joy in his eyes. “Why me?” He croaks, wide eyes finding Simone’s. Delirious doesn’t look surprised at all. 

**“Because you’ve earned it.”** Evan says simply. **“I have never met anyone like you before, and I want to show the world your story of kindness. I want your story heard for many years in the future; you won a battle without hurting or fighting anyone. You merely used words and emotions, and saved my life.”**

Brock sways on his feet and Brian gets up to keep him standing. “What’ll his constellation name be?”

At that, Evan pauses, and Tyler snorts with amusement. “The Lionheart,” he grins, and his love gasps. 

**“That’s it! Brock, The Lionheart. The constellation that glows no matter what and gives hope and love to those who need it most.”** Evan’s feathers ruffle in the breeze. **“Will you accept it?”**

Brock, for his own part, had no clue that his life would end up this way. He was a simple mortal that kept to himself and helped when he was needed. 

Now he's living with the love of his life and guardians that watch over him and provide him with friends and a family. 

"I do," Brock whispers, and Evan’s smile is the brightest star he’s ever seen.

* * *

Somewhere out in the world, there’s a home that is draped in glamour and protection spells. The rumors say that gods and fairies dwell here as often as they can and even rest in a mortal’s house. 

They say if you venture out past a vast ocean and across the forest line, a fairy will look into your soul and see if you truly need help. If true, then he will whisk you across and to this house. 

(If false, pray to whatever god that’ll take pity on you, because the Ocean will rip you apart and send you straight to the Underworld to a certain spot in Tartarus with your name on it. 

At least, that’s what the rumors say.)

In the home, you will meet a man who looks young and has laugh lines around his eyes. There’s something ancient in his aura but his eyes are still so incredibly full of love and life. 

A ruby ring constantly glows on his left ring finger and there’s a crown of baby stars on his head. He will treat you with kindness and listen to your plights, giving you food crafted by the Goddess of the Home herself. 

To the few that find him, even fewer still will recognize his smile as part of the heavens. Some will spot The Lionheart and shyly ask for hope, luck, and happiness. 

The Lionheart gives them this by mere hugs and reassurances. He is one of the most beloved mortals of all time and the stories claim that he has received the protection of several gods and goddesses. 

They say he is loved by the Moon, the Sun, the Ocean, the Underworld, and the Fairies. No harm will ever come to him as long as he lives. 

But of course, The Lionheart will always live on in the hearts of many, and Brock knows he is extremely proud of that. 

In the night sky, his constellation gleams, and this is his reward for everything he's done.

Brock knows he's done well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gonna binge watch Coraline and Nightmare Before Christmas tonight hollaaaaaaa

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy! this was a lot of fun to create. if anyone wants to read more of this universe, I’d love to expand on it!


End file.
